Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Thursday, having travelled to Turkey to attend this weekend’s Antalya diplomacy forum.

The meeting is Erhurman’s second visit to Ankara since being elected Turkish Cypriot leader last October, with no public statements having been made by either leader after its conclusion.

After the pair’s first meeting last November, Erhurman said that “both the TRNC’s demonstrated will and Turkey’s unequivocal determination to seek a solution are clear”.

“Despite this, we face a problem which has remained unsolved for years. A solution to this problem can only be achieved through the shared will of this island’s two constituent peoples. The Turkish Cypriot people exist and will continue to exist,” he said.

He added that “the whole world must know that the Turkish Cypriot people, who have always demonstrated their will for a solution and have never walked away from the table, intend to negotiate for a solution, not for the sake of negotiations”.

“No one should perceive the will of the Turkish Cypriot people for a solution as a will to sit at the table with a method which is not time-bound, is not result-orientated, and does not guarantee from the outset that there will be no return to the status quo if the Greek Cypriot leadership once again flips the table at the last minute.”

Erhurman is also expected to meet Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev while in Turkey this weekend.